Hurricane watches and warnings are issued by the National Hurricane Center when a hurricane gets close to land. A hurricane watch means that a hurricane is possible within 36 hours in a given area. A hurricane warning means that a hurricane is expected within 24 hours in a given area. Make sure you monitor the weather when a storm is nearby (a battery-powered radio is very useful, since power outages are common in a storm).

Make sure that your family has both a disaster plan, including an evacuation plan (a way to leave a dangerous hurricane-prone area), a disaster supply kit (containing medical supplies, lots of water, food, flashlights, a battery-powered radio and batteries) and a way to protect your home (putting shutters or plywood on large windows, pruning nearby trees, putting loose yard equipment inside, like lawn chairs and barbeques, etc.).

If a very bad storm looks as though it is approaching a low-lying area, officials will tell residents to evacuate to a shelter (this is to avoid possible flooding caused by storm surges).